The utilization of disposable syringes and needles has given rise to problems concerning the safe disposal of these devices. It is frequently discovered that such syringes and/or needles are the cause of accidental puncture wounds sustained by hospital personnel, or are removed from disposal canisters and fall into the hands of children. These syringes frequently contain a residue of substances which may be harmful, and the needles are frequently contaminated such that contact with the syringe and/or needle may cause the spread of contagious disease or induce infection. In fact, syringe and needle accidents sustained through skin puncture and disease spreading are frequent causes of injury to hospital personnel.
Moreover, several regulatory agencies have begun to adopt strict laws regarding disposal and handling of bio-hazardous waste material, including syringes and needles. These laws require hospital personnel to render the syringes and needles unusable before being discarded, while some also require syringes and needles to be segregated from other waste and placed in rigid containers immediately after use. Furthermore, destruction of the needle renders the combination useless to those who may misuse drugs or who might otherwise acquire used syringes and needles.
Various devices have been proposed for rendering needles unusable and for subsequent disposal of the syringes and needles. One such device includes a rectangular cardboard container having walls reinforced with several layers of cardboard, an aperture and a flexible aperture cover.
One such a disposal system is a rectangular canister having cardboard outer walls reinforced with several layers of cardboard material and having an aperture covered by a combination of foam and plastic. The aperture also includes some mechanism for bending a needle, such as a slot formed in the cardboard and reinforced with a metallic material associated with the aperture to allow the needle to be rendered useless before disposal of the needle and/or syringe.
A disadvantage associated with this type of disposal system includes the lack of an effective closure about the aperture portion, thereby possibly permitting unwanted discharge of the syringe and/or needle after disposal into the canister. This type of disposal system also lacks an effective gripping structure to grip the needle for safer more positive bending thereof. A further disadvantage is the inability to effectively autoclave or sterilize the disposal canister and its contents prior to disposing of the entire system, due to the canisters cardboard construction. The construction of reinforced cardboard walls is unsatisfactory for the additional reasons of undesirable complexity and expense, as well as for the lack of puncture resistance. Further, such unitary, one-piece systems cannot be economically stored, such as by stacking.
Another type of disposal system includes a non-reinforced cardboard container having an opening therethrough for insertion of a syringe and/or needle. This type of disposal system is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,592 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,755 to Meseke et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,536 to Henry.
These disposal systems are formed from knockdown type cardboard boxes and include an opening within one wall. The major disadvantages associated with this device include the inability of the opening to effectively prevent re-emergence of the syringe and/or needle, after insertion into the system, lack of rigidity and strength, the possibility that the containers could leak and be punctured by the needles therein, as well as the inability of the container to be autoclaved. In addition, such systems are not tamper resistant and may allow inadvertent unauthorized access of the contents of the system. Further, this device does not allow the needle to be rendered unusable which is contrary to many state and federal agency guidelines.
A third type of disposal system previously known includes a molded container having an opening therethrough allowing insertion of a syringe and/or needle. These devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,849 to Hanifl; U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,434 to Elisha; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,674 to Scheuerman. Disadvantages associated with these devices are that they do not provide for bending of the needle, and do not include a structure to close the opening within the the container to prevent re-emergence of the syringe and/or needle after insertion into the disposal system. Further, none of these systems include provisions for rendering a needle unusable prior to inserting the needle into the container of the disposal system.
Several previously known devices relating to one-way valve structures syringe and needle destroyers and plastic containers are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,370 to Lennard; U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,089 to Mayhill; U.S. Pat. No. 2,822,819 to Geeraert; U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,240 to Whitton, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,404 to Brittell; U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,620 to Ciampa; U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,835 to Clement; U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,100 to Rigaud; U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,996 to Choksi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,628 to Greenhouse and U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,448 to Ball. While these patents disclose access valves and mechanical syringe and needle destroyers and plastic containers, none of these patents disclose or teach a one-way access valve for use with a two-piece molded syringe and needle disposal system having the structure of the presently disclosed one-way access valve, or a needle bending structure similar to that of the present invention. Further, none of these patents disclose or teach the combination of a one-way access valve and a simple, inexpensive, passive bending structure for use with a two-piece molded syringe and needle disposal system.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a syringe and needle disposal system that includes a one-way access valve providing ease of insertion of a syringe and/or needle, while preventing re-emergence of the syringe and/or needle out of the disposal system container. It would also be desirable to include a simple and inexpensive passing bending structure which would allow the needle to be bent and rendered unusable prior to insertion into the disposal system.
It would further be desirable to provide an improved syringe and needle disposal system that may be molded out of inexpensive rigid material, which would resist puncturing and which would remain intact under the high temperatures of autoclaving or sterilization, prior to discarding of the entire disposal system. In addition, the ability to mold a two-piece system would be desirable to allow economic storage of the disposal system, such as by stacking. Further a disposal system which is tamper-resistent and of relatively small dimensions, facilitating on-site placement and use would also be desirable.